Are Halal Hotels Green? An Exploratory Study from Malaysia

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the extent halal hotels emphasise on the halal attributes offered in comparison to the green practices of halal hotels in Malaysia, a top OIC Muslim-friendly holiday destination. A content analysis of the websites of the top seven halal hotels in Malaysia was conducted to compare the emphasis of the halal attributes vis a vis the green practices of the same. Findings reveal that neither the halal attributes nor the green practices are widely emphasised upon. It can be inferred that if a hotel is halal certified, then a number of attributes such as the availability of halal food, prayer facilities, or gender segregation for leisure activities are readily available. Green practices among halal hotels were found to be scarce with little importance given to such practices. The study concludes with limitations and directions for future research.